Visible record device and divider therefor



M. B. HALL VISIBLE RECORD DEVICE AND DIVIDER THEREFOR April 24, 1951 Filed April 22, 1946 describedin the above identified Patented Apr. 24, 1951 VISIBLE RECORD DEVICE AND DIVIDER THEREFOR Marchand B. Hall, Chicago, 111., assignor to Acme Visible Records, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application April 22, 1946, Serial No. 663,865

This invention relatesto improvements in visible record card equipment, and refers specifically to a record card device of the type which carries dividers for indexing or otherwise separating the cards; and to a conveniently removable divider for use with such a device. g

In visible record card systems wherein the cards are indexed or otherwise separated by removable dividers, it is desirable that the dividers.

be detachably secured to the base upon Which the cards are supported, the attachment being such that the dividers can be easily removed or inserted at will.

An object of my invention resides in the provision of a divider construction wherein a suitable degree of attachment to the base is obtainedand yet the divider can be quickly and conveniently removed when desired.

One of the specific advantages of my invention is that the removal or insertion of the divider is accomplished .by a simple movement similar to that performed in removing or inserting the usual card, it only being necessary to exert a slightly greater degree of force than is necessary in the casual removal or insertion of one ofthe cards.

Another object of my invention resides in a divider construction wherein stresses encountered by attaohment'or detachment of the divider from the base are borne principally by a reinforcing frame comprising a portion of the divider, whereby such forces do not strain, tear, or tend to buckle the divider.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the accompanying draw- 'Fig. 3 is an enlarged, detailed, sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, l indicates a base upon which a record card system (not shown) is adapted to be supported. The base I may comprise a portion of. a drawerjor filing cabinet such as that shown and described in the co-pending application of Marchand B. Hall and Sylvan K. Ketterman, Serial No. 551,491, filed August 28, 1944, now Patent No. 2,435,077, dated January 2'7, 1948, upon a record filing device. The type of visible record equipment in which my present invention is to "be used is similar to that co-'-pen'ding application. I

7 Claims. (Cl. 129-16) A supporting panel 2 ismounted upon base I intermediate the width of said base, said panel 2 traversing substantially-the entire length of the base I. The panel 2 comprises an upper face 1- 3 which is provided with a plurality of spaced longitudinal beads 4, In the use of my e ic face relationship, the lower edges of said cards being in contact with the beads 4.

The upper portion 3 of the panel 2 is spaced from the upper face of the base I by means of flanges 5 which maybe formed integral with the upper portion 3 of said panel. A ledge 6 joins the upper edge of each flange with the lateral edges of the member 3 whereb recesses 1 are provided by the said ledges and the .base I. It can readily be seen that the ledges extend through the length of the panel 2 and, hence, elongated recesses lare provided at the lateral sides of the panel 2.

' As is usual with a record'system of this type, the cards comprising the record are indexedor segregatedinto groups in any suitable manner by means of dividers. -As has been hereinbefore described, thefc'ards comprising th record are;

One of the features of m present invention re sides in the provisionof a divider 8 which comprises a main panel portion Qwhich may be con-- structed ofcardboard, plastic or other relatively light thin material. The panel 9 is reinforced by a metal strip or frame In which embraces at least three edges of the panel as indicated in Fig. 1. v

A lug II is secured at two adjacent corners of the panel 9 and comprises plates l2 and 13 which are adapted to embrace opposite faces of the panel 9. The lug II is secured to both the panel 9 and to the frame ID by means of rivets l 4 and I5 respectively.

Each lug ll terminates at its lower end, which projects from the lower edge of the panel 9, in a circular sectioned sleeve 16. A cylindrical housing I! is positioned in said sleeve, said housing comprising a cup-shaped member whose'e'dges are crimpedjoutwardlyas shown best at IS in Fig. 3 .to provide an abutment against the mouth of 3 the sleeve IS. A cylindrical shell I9 is telescopically positioned within the cup-shaped member H and terminates in a bullet-shaped projection 20. A compression spring 2| is confined between the base of the cup-shaped member I! and the shell 19, said spring urging the projecting head outwardly. The crimped edge of the cupshaped member H is folded inwardly to provide an annular flange 22 which limits the outward movement of the shell [9.

In operation the dividers 8 are adapted to be detachably mounted upon the base I. The distance between the adjacent edges of the opposite lugs II is slightly greater than the distance between the edges of the opposite ledges 6 whereby the projecting portions I8 and 22 ofthe cupshaped members I! can pass vertically downwardly over each side of the edges of the ledges 6. The distance, however, of the terminating ends of the bullet-shaped members 20 from each other are slightly less than the distance between opposite edges of the ledges 6. Consequently, when the panel 8 is mounted or removed from the :base I, the edges of the ledges I? act upon the surfaces of the bullet-shaped members 20 to compress springs 2 l.

When the panel 8 is in its normal position upon the file, the bullet-shaped members 20 are positioned in the recesses l and, consequently, prevent casual or accidental removal of the divider 8 from the base. However, if sufiicient vertical pull is exerted upon the panel 8, the bullet-shaped members 20 are caused to retract by contact of said members with the tapered surfacesof the ledges 6 whereby the divider 8 may be disengaged from the base. Likewise, by exerting a slight de' gree of force in moving the dividers 8 vertically downwardly, the bullet-shaped members 2llmay be caused to be retracted in order to permit said members to pass over the edges of the ledges 6. To facilitate this operation the edges 23 of the ledges are rounded whereby vertical movement of thedivider 8 produces a component force caused by the contact of the tapered surfaces of the bullet-shaped member and the rounded edges of the ledges to move the shell I9 inwardly against the springs 2 I.

Of course, it is to be understood that in so far as my present invention is concerned, the flanges need not form an integral portion of the panel 2. However, in the preferred embodiment of my invention the panel 2 is preferably formed integral ofthe upper portion 3 and the flanges 5. It canreadily be seen that when the divider 8 is'so moved as to insert or detach the divider from the base I, the stress caused by the compression of the springs 2 I exerts a leverage upon lugs I I. Thisstress is essentially borne by the frame l0 which consequently permits the utilization of a relatively thin panel 9 without the sacrifice of rigidity of construction. In addition it can be seen that the removal or insertion of the divider 8 does not involve the canting or buckling of the divider, and comprises the comparatively simple motion of vertically moving the divider 8 upwardly or downwardly to disengage or engage the divider with the base.

By eliminating buckling of the divider or the necessity for the operator performing complicated gyrations with the divider in order to engage or disengage the same, considerable time is saved in removing or inserting my dividers, and the life of the dividers is materially increased by eliminating abuse .by inexpert operators.

j If desired, the dividers can be shifted longitudinally of the base I, that is, a divider may be removed and one or more dividers or cards may be shifted forwardly or backwardly, and the divider replaced in a new position.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a visible record card device, a supporting base, a flange extending at an angle to said base adjacent each lateral edge of said base and extending throughout substantially the length of said base, outwardly extending opposite ledges carried at the edges of said flanges spaced from said base to provide longitudinally extending recesses between said ledges and said base, a divider of greater width and length than thickness, and inwardly impelled resilient means carried at adjacent corners of said divider for positioning over said outwardly extending ledges and removable engagement in said recesses.

2. In a visible record card device, a supporting base, a flange extending at an angle to said base adjacent each lateral edge of said base and extending throughout substantially the length of said base, opposite ledges carried at the edges of said flanges and extending outwardly therefrom and being spaced from said base to provide longitudinally extending recesses between said ledges and said base, a divider of greater width and length than thickness, and inwardly impelled resilient means carried at adjacent corners of said divider for positioning over said outwardly extending ledges and removable engagement in said recesses, said resilient means being normally spaced a lesser distance than the distance between the edges of opposite ledges.

3. In a visible record card device, a supporting base, a flange extending at an angle to said base adjacent each lateral edge of said base and extending throughout substantially the length of said base, opposite ledges carried at the edges of said flanges and extending outwardly therefrom and being spaced from said base to provide longitudinally extending recesses between said ledges and said base, a .divider of greater width and length than thickness, and engaging means carried at adjacent corners of said dividers for removable engagement in said recesses, said engaging means comprising arcuate surfaced members, and resilient means for urging each of said members inwardly toward said recesses.

4. In a visible record card device, a supporting base, a flange extending at an angle to said base adjacent each lateral edge of said base and extending throughout substantially the length of said base, opposite ledges carried at the edges of said flanges and extending outwardly therefrom and being spaced from said base to provide longitudinally extending recesses between said ledges and said base, said recesses opening oppositely to each other in an outwardly direction, a divider of greater width and length than thickness, and engaging means carried at adjacent corners of said dividers for removable engagement in said recesses, said engaging means comprising arcuate surfaced members, and resilient mean for urging said members inwardly toward said recesses, said arcu-ate surfaced members being normally spaced a lesser distance from each other than the distance between the edges of said outwardly extending ledges, and being resiliently movable to a position to be simultaneously moved past the edges of said ledges.

5. In a visible record card device, a supporting base, a flange extending at an angle to said base adjacent each lateral edge of said base and extending throughout substantially the length of said base, outwardly extending opposite ledges said recesses.

l 6. A removable divider to be used with a visible record card device of the type having a base, a flange extending at an angle to said base adjacent each lateral edge of said base and extending throughout substantially the length of said base, and having oppositely extending ledges carried at the edges of said flanges remote from said base providing longitudinally extending recesses between said ledges and said base; comprising a substantially rectangular panel of greaterwidth" and length than thickness, means carried at adjacent corners of said panel for engagement in said recesses, said means comprising movable members and resilient means for urging said members toward each other and into said recesses, and a metal frame reinforcing the sides of said divider not included between said means, said frame being joined to said means.

'7. A removable divider for a visible record card systemwhich comprises a reinforcing frame, a substantially rectangular panel of greater width and length than thickness carried by said frame, lugs mounted on adjacent corners of saidrframe, a tubular member carried by each lug and extending beyond an edge of said frame, an element slidably positioned in each tubular member, and springs positioned in said tubular member for urging said elements toward each other.

MARCHAND B. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,303,778 Dismukes May 13, 1919 2,359,376 Martin Oct. 3, 1944 2,371,713 Short Mar. 20, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Switzerland 1924 

